[News Culture] Korean content companies are seeking a larger role in Hollywood's development pipeline, bringing original stories directly to American writers, producers and studios through a series of industry events in Los Angeles.
The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) announced on November 3 that its 2026 K-Content Original Pitching Showcase had concluded successfully at the Korea Center in Los Angeles. The three-day program, held October 20–22, was designed to connect Korean intellectual property (IP) holders with U.S. entertainment professionals interested in adaptations, co-productions and new television projects.
Now in its third year, the initiative goes beyond selling distribution rights to completed productions. It aims to bring Korean companies into the development process earlier, giving them opportunities to work with American creative teams on projects intended for international audiences.
A total of 10 companies participated: BIG OCEAN ENM, SBS International, MBC America, Another Story, Imaginus, ASTORY, SIDUS, Epic Holdings, Jaedam Media and ARIART. Their presentations attracted 73 U.S. writers, producers and other industry professionals, including Albert Kim, showrunner of Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Eileen Shim, a writer and co-producer on HBO's House of the Dragon.
The program generated 150 one-on-one business meetings, during which participants discussed potential U.S. adaptations, joint development, financing and international distribution. Although the meetings did not necessarily result in signed agreements, they provided Korean IP owners with direct access to industry decision-makers and opportunities to advance individual projects.
The industry outreach extended beyond the main pitching event. Representatives from the participating companies visited Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of Hollywood's leading talent and entertainment agencies. Discussions covered media financing and business opportunities involving digital assets.
Creative collaboration was another focus. At the Korea-U.S. Writers Exchange, writers from both countries discussed opportunities for developing projects together. The participants included Oh Sang-ho, writer of the Korean series Taxi Driver, alongside American television writers working in the U.S. industry. The exchange explored ways to bring Korean stories into international production environments while preserving the qualities that distinguish the original material.
The program reflects a broader shift in how Korean entertainment companies approach overseas expansion. Rather than relying exclusively on licensing or exporting finished productions, participating companies are exploring opportunities to collaborate with Hollywood partners from the earliest stages of development.
Such arrangements could give Korean IP owners a more active role in shaping adaptations while providing American producers with access to original stories and established creative properties. The discussions in Los Angeles also highlighted the importance of building sustained relationships between writers, producers and rights holders in both markets.
Park Byung-ho, head of KOCCA's Los Angeles Business Center, emphasized the importance of converting international interest in Korean content into tangible opportunities for domestic companies.
"What's important is turning global interest in Korean IP into real business opportunities for Korean companies," Park said. He expressed hope that the showcase would strengthen cooperation between the two industries and help promising Korean properties develop into commercially viable international projects.
KOCCA plans to continue supporting Korean IP owners through industry networking, localization initiatives and business development assistance across the U.S. market.
The longer-term significance of the initiative will depend on whether the relationships established in Los Angeles lead to commissioned scripts, co-development agreements or completed productions. For Korean companies looking beyond traditional content exports, the showcase offered an opportunity to participate more directly in Hollywood's creative and commercial processes.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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